Sapphire Editorial Blog

Help With The Gerd Diet

Written by John Taylor

Gerd, or Gastroesophageal Reflux disease, is an illness millions of people deal with on a daily basis. While medications will help, one of the most important ways to improve your condition is through the gerd diet.   This change in the way you eat will improve your conditions significantly. For some, it allows the body to feel nearly normal. There is no doubt that the process isn't easy, but the impact and improvement you will see with this diet change makes it well worth the work. Cutting It Out For some with gerd, a poor diet and lifestyle lead to or cause the condition to progress. Individuals may see a drop in the number of symptoms they have including a reduction in heartburn, chest pain, and shortness of breath. These symptoms are caused by the acids of the stomach (which are needed to break down food) when they are splashed back up into the esophagus, leading to pain and discomfort. The key to any diet is to reduce the amount of acid produced and needed, and therefore the acids aren't there to splash into your esophagus. To accomplish this, start by not using any tobacco. Nicotine is one of the worst products to consume if you suffer from gerd since it weakens the esophageal muscle, keeping it from closing tightly. You should also reduce the amount of gum you chew, as the ingested air also pushes a lot of the acid back up. Try to avoid foods that lead to larger amounts of acid production. This includes fatty foods, especially fried foods. Reduce the amount of whole milk, oils, creamed foods, creamy soups and peppermint and spearmint flavorings. In some individuals, foods that are especially spicy or acidic may lead to further complications and should be avoided. To further see improvements from just changing your diet, reduce the amount of foods you eat from this list: Teas Caffeinated soft drinks Citrus fruits and citrus fruit juices, such as orange juice, grapefruit, tomatoes and pineapple Coffee and coffee related beverages Other foods and drinks containing high amounts of caffeine This diet may seem limiting, but over time you will not need to be as strict with it. The combination of improving your diet and taking medications can reverse many of the painful symptoms you feel on a daily basis from the gerd illness. Taking active steps to improve your lifestyle can help, too. Eating more vegetables and less fatty foods is a natural way to reduce weight. Getting exercise on a regular basis can also improve your symptoms considerably. Quit smoking and avoid overdrinking or regularly drinking alcoholic beverages.  Many patients find that it takes just a handful of changes to see significant results. Gerd can become complicated and leads to very painful symptoms in the long term. You can minimize these by simply talking with your doctor about medication options and then working with a dietician to improve your diet. Your overall health may improve, too with these changes.

 

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